Overview

A skin biopsy, where a physician removes a little sample of skin for testing, may be a rapid and convenient office procedure that aids within the diagnosis of a patient's skin condition or lesion. Although usually done by a dermatologist, any physician who is skilled and knowledgeable with the technique and its indications can safely perform a skin biopsy. There are several techniques that involve sampling tissue from a skin lesion or eruption. Once removed, the tissue sample is processed and examined under a microscope by a pathologist. It usually takes several days before a final diagnosis is rendered.

Skin biopsy procedure selection considerably depends on the suspected diagnosis, size, and site of the lesion.

Who's at risk?

A skin biopsy is usually necessary when a skin condition can't be diagnosed by the patient's history and what the physician finds on examination alone. Confirming a clinical diagnosis can also be necessary before starting therapy.

Skin biopsy types are as follows:

Ø  Shave biopsies

Ø  Punch biopsies

Ø  Excisional biopsies

Skin biopsies also can be submitted for tissue culture if the diagnosis of a bacterial or mycosis is in question.

Any skin lesion can be biopsied. It is important for patients to understand , however, that in some cases, microscopic examination of tissue could also be very nonspecific and not necessarily helpful in rendering a selected diagnosis.

Signs and Symptoms

The doctor performing the biopsy may invite advance about any allergies to anesthetic medications, about any blood thinner or anticoagulant medications you'll be taking, or problems with bleeding in the past. Typically, there are not any symptoms or conditions during a patient that might cause a physician to not perform a skin biopsy, but these questions help the doctor anticipate and better manage any potential complications (eg, excess bleeding). Otherwise, there's no special preparation needed before the procedure.

Once the world of interest is cleansed with alcohol or antiseptic solution, local anaesthetic is injected in and round the skin lesion of interest employing a syringe topped with a very fine needle. The skin biopsy is performed by the doctor using one among the methods described below, and therefore the tissue removed is then placed during a bottle. Three commonly performed skin biopsy procedures are as follows:

Ø     Shave biopsy – This is a superficial skin biopsy performed by a doctor where a thin layer is shaved off the surface of a lesion.

Ø     Punch biopsy – A doctor removes a cylindrical sample to view layers of a lesion.

Ø     Excisional biopsy – The doctor uses a scalpel to remove the entire visible portion of a lesion.

Self-Care Guidelines

Antibacterial ointment or Vaseline® with a little dressing or Band-Aid® is placed over the wound.

The patient is suggested to stay the wound dry for subsequent 24 hours; thereafter, it's going to be gently cleaned with soap and water. Applying antibacterial ointment or Vaseline could also be done on a day to day until the wound heals.

When to Seek Medical Care

Ø  Bleeding

Ø  Pain

Ø  Infection

Ø  Non-healing wound (this is a greater risk if the biopsy is done on the lower legs)

Ø  Scarring

Ø  Keloid formation

Additionally, biopsies cannot diagnose all skin conditions. As such, a biopsy of a lesion might not necessarily reveal the right diagnosis.

Treatments Your Physician May Prescribe

A skin biopsy might not be necessary before definitive treatment is obtainable to a patient. The physician could also be ready to make a judgement on a diagnosis and proper treatment supported other tests or a physical exam. For example, a physician could also be ready to do what's referred to as a skin scraping and consider the skin cells under a microscope, or a skin culture can be helpful in diagnosing infection.

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